Update 11/6: As EMF prepares to close on its purchase of Beautiful Music 90.9 WKTZ-FM and Adult Standards 1220 WJAX Jacksonville from Jones College, both stations signed-off their programming earlier today. The Beautiful Music format will remain online at http://jcr.jones.edu/
Station GM Kenneth Jones wrote the following message regarding the end of the programming:
Today the Beautiful Music Format of WKTZ 90.9 FM must leave the air waves of Jacksonville. The broadcast of Americas Favorite Music format on WJAX 1220 AM has also ended it’s Radio Broadcast in Jacksonville. I would like to thank the good people of Jacksonville, and our sponsors, for the many years of great music and support we have shared with each other. We have enjoyed our time together.
Jones College Radio will continue on the internet. Stay tuned to http://www.jones.edu the link for Jones College Radio is in the middle of the page with a small microphone icon. I will update our web site with a new address http://JCR.jones.edu/ later today. You will be able to connect and enjoy the same beautiful music format you know and love. I will attempt to retain our presentation of news from the Associated Press at the top of each hour.
We hope you will join the many tens of thousands who already connect daily to our broadcast on the internet.
Original Report 8/12: Educational Media Foundation is acquiring Jones College’s pair of stations in Jacksonville, FL.
Beautiful Music 90.9 WKTZ-FM and Adult Standards 1220 WJAX will be transferred to the Christian operator for $3,375,000. Despite not owning any other stations, Jones College will retain the rights to the WJAX call letters and the Intellectual Property of both stations.
EMF’s “K-Love” Christian AC programming is currently heard in the Jacksonville market on Delmarva Educational Association’s 88.1 WCRJ. “Air-1” is heard on a pair of translators: 89.5 W208AV San Jose and 101.9 W270CD Jacksonville Beach.
Last October, WJAX/WKTZ General Manager Kenneth Jones sent a letter to its listeners that should the stations be unable to reach their fund raising goals he advised the school to consider a format change or sale of one of the last remaining Beautiful Music stations in the country.
Alexander Furth 
Nathan Obral 
Christian 
Mike704
Just perfect curse you EMF
How is this EMF’s fault? WKTZ was struggling financially for a long time and obviously EMF was the highest bidder. If someone thought it was viable to retain the Beautiful Music format there (or for that matter anywhere else in the country) it would do so.
Pretty sure EMF will not keep 1220. They don’t do AM anymore. That’ll be a spinoff. Might not even change format.
At the very least, EMF will lease out 1220 to someone else for a period of time.
WNWT/1520 Toledo is currently running a Christian-based urban talk format via LMA while EMF is still searching for a buyer… WNWT has been on the block for over five years.
88.1 and 90.9 broadcast from the same area. I wonder if 88.1 goes Air1 or does its own thing since it’s not owned by EMF
Though I’m a fan of Christian Radio and support EMF for spreading the Gospel, it is sad to see a Beautiful Music station bite the dust. But Lance Venta is absolutely right.. Its certainly not EMF’s fault and I’d rather see a Christian station replace it than some other upper dial genres or programming out there.
I agree with you. As a Christian, I definitely support EMF’s endeavor to acquire stations to share the gospel, although it is sad to see the beautiful music format on WKTZ go, too. Some friends and I are in the process of rebuilding EZ/BM radio via the internet. We are looking for people to start and operate online stations as not-for-profit, locally based entities, as a means to preserve the format and expand it to new listeners. So far, we’re up to 6 stations, with two more possibly in the works. Anyone interested in doing a station for their area, please contact me via the site here and I will be glad to share some info with you about it. Thanks!
For what it’s worth, Cox is petitioning the FCC to change WTEV-TV’s calls to WJAX, meaning that Jones College will see a nice additional payday.
EMF even gobbles up other Christian stations and makes relay stations out of them, instead of a local voice. Where I live they will soon have more than one in the market with the same programming. That really doesn’t serve the public much.